Anxiety In Alaba Market As Robbers Threaten To Bomb The Market Over Arrest Of Leader

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Traders at the Alaba International market in Ojo local government area of Lagos State are in disarray over the reported bomb threat by gang members of millionaire robbery suspect, Ebere Udokwu arrested by the police.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that both the leadership of the market and traders are apprehensive over their fate as the members of the gang who escaped have vowed to revenge over the arrest of their leader.

It was gathered that it was the leadership of the market that made it possible for the arrest of Udokwu who was known as the leader of the notorious armed robbers terrorizing the area.

According to one of the leaders of the market (name withheld) since Udokwu was arrested by the Operative of State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, his gang members have being threatening both the leadership and the traders.

Our correspondent gathered that some known traders were also using Udokwu and his gang to settle some business and political issues in the market and beyond.

This has factionalised the traders into two groups; one attempting to facilitate his release while the other faction wants him to be prosecuted.

This development was confirmed by our correspondent who visited the market at the weekend and the traders expressed their dilemma over the arrest of Udokwu and the subsequent vthreat by his gang.

The 26-year old millionaire robbery suspect who was arrested and paraded by the police confessed that he has actually made a fortune in robbery before he was arrested.

He said he knew that a day like that (arrest and parade) will come and he will not say he regretted his decision to join robbery gang because it was successful.

The suspect narrated how he came to Lagos and turned to a dreaded notorious armed robber before he was arrested.

“I attended Oraifite Secondary School in Ekwusigo local government in Anambra State and dropped out because my parents said they have no money for me to further my education and I had to move over to Lagos”

He said he came to Lagos and met some friends who were notorious armed robbers and he joined them and started robbing people at Alaba and beyond.

He said his initial challenge in the robbery business was how to acquire weapon and he solved it when he was arrested and taken to prison where he met deadly robbers, they became friends and they assisted him to procure a British pistol.

“When I was in kirikiri prison, I made friends with notorious armed robbers who taught me more on criminal operation and  gave me contact where I bought my gun for N50,000,”  Udokwu narrated.

On why he did not quit robbery after he had made huge sums of money, Udokwu said it was easy to join robbery and difficult to come out of it because a criminal will not believe he will run into trouble until such one is arrested.

“Whenever I lack money, I will just pick my British made pistol and go out and rob and with the gun, a criminal will feel on top and believe nothing will happen,” he added.

Udokwu said he was married and had a child and concluded that he accepted his fate.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that there were unconfirmed plans by some traders who were close associates of Udokwu to influence his release.

However, the Lagos Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Mr Olumide Famous-Cole could not be reached for comment.

During the parade the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni said he will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.